Pilaf with Almonds (Bademli Pilav)

 1 cup rice, washed and drained
2 cups water
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1 tsp salt

Roast the almonds in a medium-sized pot until they're light brown. Put aside.

Pour the water in a medium sized pot along with salt and butter. When it starts boiling, add the rice. Cook on low heat with the lid half covered until the water has evaporated. Then add roasted almonds and stir. Serve while still warm.
* This is a vegetarian dish.

Pilaf with Sweet Peas (Bezelyeli Pilav)

1 cup rice, washed and drained
2 cups water
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp dill, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 pinch pepper

Boil water in a medium-sized pot and add the rice, peas, oil, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to simmer, stir and put the lid halfway on. Cook until the rice is done (when all the liquid has evaporated). Then add chopped dill and stir. Put aside for a few minutes.

You can serve this dish warm or cold as a side dish with any kind of lamb, beef or chicken.
* This is a vegetarian dish.

Shepherd's Salad (Coban Salatasi)

1/2 cup cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cubanelle pepper
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint
2 tsp lemon juice
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50 ml feta cheese, crumbled
Salt
Pepper

Place all the vegetables in a medium size salad bowl. Add salt and pepper to liking. Add the feta, lemon juice and olive oil. Don't add any other dressings.

This salad goes very well with lamb dishes.

Lamb Kavurma (Kuzu Kavurma)

1 lb grape leaves, washed one by one

Filling:
1 1/4 lb medium or regular ground beef, uncooked
1/2 cup rice, washed and drained
1/4 cup water
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped or grated
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
3 tbsp crushed tomatoes
60 ml butter, diced

Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl with a tablespoon. Fill a large pot half way with water and boil. Add in all the leaves and boil for about 2-3 minutes. Drain, then cut off the stems (picture). The matte (not shiny) side of the leaf is the inside, that's where the filling will go. Grab a leaf (picture) and fold the top where the stem was as shown in this picture. Put the leaf into your palm and use a teaspoon to put filling on it (picture). First fold over the top (picture), then the two sides (picture) and roll to close it up (picture).

Line up all the rolls in a large pot tightly, without big holes in between (picture). Spread the garnish on top. Put a small plate upside down over the rolls - this is to prevent the rolls from unfolding while being cooked. Then pour in a cup of water (picture). Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cup of hot water, and cook for another 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve with Yogurt with Garlic Sauce.

Cig Kofte (Yalanci Cig Kofte)

Turkish Pastrami Borek (Paçanga Böreği)

4 sheets Phyllo Pastry

Filling:
~150 gr Pastırma (Turkish Pastrami), sliced, remove the chemen*, break in medium size pieces
1 tsp butter
1 medium tomato, peeled, discard the seeds, cut in small cubes
1/4 cup Kaşar or mozzarella cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper

Glaze:
1 egg yolk

Saute pastırma with tomato and butter over low-medium heat for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
 

Place two sheets on top of each other on the counter and position them vertically. Cut them in three strips from top to bottom. Put some filling on the bottom side of each sheet, sprinkle some cheese on top. First fold the ends from the outside to the inside, then roll it up. Soak the 

open end in the water and close it up. The pic is down,

Place parchment paper on an oven tray and arrange the Borek with the folded side facing down. Brush the tops with egg yolk.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Bake for 15-18 minutes until the tops take a golden colour.

*If you like, fry each borek equally over medium heat until they take a light golden color. Don't leave the stove as they fry quickly:) Place ones that are done on a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

6 Turkish Pastrami Börek.

*Chemen: Cumin paste (a condiment prepared from ground cumin seeds, red pepper, and garlic and used to coat the outside of pastırma).

Sultan's Soup (Sultan Corbasi)

 ~150 gr chicken breast, cut in cubes, cooked in water
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup milk, warm
2 cups chicken broth, hot
1/4 cup blanched almonds, sliced
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup white vine or, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
50 ml cream 35%

Melt the butter, add the flour, stir and cook for about 3-4 minutes in a medium-sized pot. Slowly pour the warm milk and hot chicken broth in it while stirring constantly. They should blend very well. You can use an egg beater. Add the chicken, almond, salt and pepper. Cook until it gets enough thickness, stir occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with white wine or lemon juice. Take a ladle of soup and blend well with the mixture. Slowly pour this mixture into the pot while stirring. Cook for about 5-6 more minutes. Add the cream, stir and turn the heat off. Serve while still warm.

2-3 servings.